Auld lang syne time at Sahara
It wasn't planned that way, but we gathered, fittingly, about the time of the Sahara's last sunset.
None of us was young enough to stay around until the sun came up so sunset would have to do.
Reminiscing at the center bar was a group that included K.J. Howe, former director of public relations, advertising, promotions and special events at the Mint, one of Sahara's sister properties owned by Del Webb.
Kathleen Bell said she has a photograph at home, taken with her family in the Sahara showroom in 1957 when she was 5.
"Dick Shawn and Donald O'Connor were the headliners. I remember when the dancing girls came out I was scandalized," Bell said.
Her friend, Beth Nelson, recalled a nightmarish first night as a camera girl in the Sahara showroom in the late 1970s.
"I had to take Jerry Lewis' photo four times. The last time was in the House of Lords. He finally liked one," Nelson said.
"He was mean to me and made me cry," she added.
Howe's favorite story, told earlier, involved legendary Sahara headliner Buddy Hackett, who also held the position of vice president of entertainment.
Hackett was a comic genius "but a bit of a hothead," Howe said.
"He had a parking space and somebody parked in it."
In a rage, Hackett pulled out a pistol and shot out the car's headlights.
"I have that on good authority," said Howe, 72, whose first job in Las Vegas was as Louis Prima's assistant at his golf course, Fairway to the Stars, on Warm Springs Road.
Everybody, it seemed, had a Sahara story.
Carolyn Schneider of Las Vegas emailed me a classic earlier in the day.
A niece of Bing and Bob Crosby, she was in town for the first time to see uncle Bob perform at the Sahara during its heyday.
Also on the bill was superstar Pearl Bailey, who made her entrance on stage modeling a beautiful ankle length mink coat.
In her opening dialogue, Bailey said, "when people ask, 'Pearlie Mae, how'd you get that mink coat?,' I tell 'em, 'the same way the minks got it, honey.' "
THE SCENE AND HEARD
More on Tiger Woods' recent visit for his Tiger Jam benefit: Word has it his mother was in town with him. Someone who operates in the VIP host circles added his voice to those who found it odd that Woods went on Twitter to claim he had a big night on the gaming tables at Mandalay Bay: "If he really was chirping about his gambling, that's just not his style, to talk about that."
SIGHTINGS
Green Bay Packers star linebacker Clay Matthews, at Marquee nightclub club (Cosmopolitan) on Saturday. His visit included an "epic workout" Thursday with former UFC star Chuck Liddell, said Matthews, in a Twitter post. ... Jennifer Love Hewitt, abruptly leaving during the finale of Frank Marino's "Divas Las Vegas" (Imperial Palace) on Saturday. A stalker issue, I'm told. ... Angel Porrino of "Peepshow" and "Absinthe" celebrated her 22nd birthday at Gallery Nightclub (Planet Hollywood Resort) Saturday night with her peeps, "Peepshow" headliner Holly Madison and Josh Strickland. Also in the club: "CSI: NY" star AJ Buckley. ... Gallery resident DJ Samantha Ronson, at Strip House (Planet Hollywood Resort) on Saturday. ... Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, at Terry Fator's show (Mirage) on Saturday.
THE PUNCH LINE
"Oh my God, look at you. Anyone else hurt in the accident?" -- Comedian Don Rickles to Ernest Borgnine.
Norm Clarke can be reached at (702) 383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com. Find additional sightings and more online at www.normclarke.com. Follow Norm on Twitter @Norm_Clarke.
